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Tag: New Patriotic Party

  • Hopeson Adorye recounts how he was sacked from National Security

    A one-time parliamentary aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for Kpone Katamanso, Hopeson Adorye, has refuted news publications that his removal from the National Security Secretariat was because he was not supposed to be working there after he was fired in 2017.

    Speaking in an Okay FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Hopeson Adorye said that the sack letter he received was dated November 17, 2022.

    Adorye, who was previously the Deputy National Security Coordinator in Charge of Airports, added that the reasons for his sacking were not stated in the letter because it was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who ordered his dismissal.

    “The news publication is wrong. Why will someone be sacked and leave his post after 4 years? What happened was that in 2017, I had to leave my post at the airport and go back to the ‘blue gate’ because the security at the VIP section of the airport, which the National Security was in charge of, was being taken over by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. I was never sacked; what ‘The Herald’ is saying is false,” he explained in Twi.

    “How can one person be sacked from the same job twice? Tomorrow will be exactly two weeks since I received the letter indicating my appointment had been terminated with immediate effect. The letter was dated 17th November 2022 and I received the letter on 21st November, a day after my birthday,” he added.

    He added that many elders of the NPP have advised him not to talk about the circumstances surrounding his dismissal, and he will for now heed their advice.
    Hopeson Adorye had previously announced on live radio this week that he had been fired from his government job.

    He said during a discussion on Oman FM’s Boiling Point programme, on which he is a regular guest, that he had been fired purposefully because of his support for Alan Kyerematen.

    Adorye is a vocal supporter of the Trade and Industry Minister in respect of the minister’s rumoured bid to lead the NPP as flagbearer when elections take place next year.

    “God will cater for us; we will eat, Uncle (referring to the show host); God has got us. How we toiled in opposition for Akufo-Addo to come to power, we will do same for Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen to come.

    “I’m not a zombie, uncle, I was told that my support is not towards a particular camp, so I should be dismissed. I have been dismissed. ‘Your appointment has been terminated with immediate effect.’ That is why I am stressing that God will cater for us; we will never die,” he stressed.

  • Ken Agyapong’s gospel truth [AUDIO]

    Kennedy Agyapong, a member of Assin Central, has been meeting with New Patriotic Party (NPP) members from various circles as well as other stakeholders as part of his preliminary preparation for a presidential campaign.

    He spoke what he claimed to be the “gospel truth” during one of these gatherings.

    Take a listen to the audio file from the Graphic online

  • Bawumia not allowed by Finance Minister to work – Kennedy Agyapong suggests

    A recent outburst by outspoken New Patriotic Party(NPP)  Member of the Parliament(MP)  for Assin Central Constituency Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has lend  some credence to assertions that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s role in management of the economy has been thwarted by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    Dr. Bawumia has in recent times been accused of failing to demonstrate his economic prowess as Head of the Economic Management Team following the bad performance of the cedi against the dollar among other economic challenges.

    However, the onsets of events and significant instances have raised concerns over the efforts of the Vice President in finding solutions to the current economic situation.

    It has strongly been asserted that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is effectively obstructing the Vice President on matters that bother on key economic decisions and actions.

    Speaking to party members in Bolgatanga as part of his campaign to be elected flagbearer of the NPP, Kennedy Agyapong lamented the loss of some $12 million as a result of the depreciation of the Ghanaian currency.

    “From March this year to August this year, through exchange rate, I have lost $12 million. So today I don’t even count it,” he said to delegates.

    The maverick MP stated that he would not have bullied by a Finance Minister if he were in the position of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

    “If I’m a vice president, how can a finance minister bully me?” He questioned.

    This recent outburst has been described by political watchers as grapevine information that points to a worrying situation where it is believed that Ken Ofori Atta as Finance Minister is given priority over the Vice President in decision economic decisions making.

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  • V8 ban in 2023 budget: Are we going to buy new saloon cars? – Hopeson Adorye asks

    The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Hopeson Adorye has questioned the viability of a new budgetary directive that forbade the usage of V8 in Accra.

    He wonders if owners of V8 vehicles will receive new saloon vehicles to encourage them to stop using the V8s.

    “With the V8 issue, I wonder how it will be handled.
    Are we going to get the ministers brand-new sedans or what?
    Because the majority of them already drive V8s,” he said on the Boiling Point program of Oman FM on November 24.

    He also questioned the issue of fuel cuts of 50% for appointees: “Even this government fuel that has been slashed, how do we want the appointees to work? As for that one, I disagree, so what should they do?

    “Some of these things must be tackled realistically. Imagine a Minister with a fuel coupon of 2,000 cedis, now having 1000 cedis but his full tank costs 1,800, so if their car runs out of fuel after three days, what do I do?” he quizzed.

    What Ofori-Atta said about V8s and fuel allocations

    Under the section of the budget on “Implementation of the Cabinet directives on expenditure measures,” the Minister said:

    Mr. Speaker, as the first step toward expenditure rationalisation, the Government has approved the following directives which take effect from January, 2023:

    ● All MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit systems, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous year’s (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;

    ● A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross-country travel. All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023;

    ● Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;

    ● Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members. Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff.

  • Deputy Ministers get GH¢250 worth of fuel weekly – Hopeson Adorye alleges

    New Patriotic Party leader Hopeson Adorye has urged the government to be reasonable with a budgetary direction to cut fuel allocations by 50% and also impose a ban on the usage of V8 engines.

    On Oman FM’s Boiling Point program (November 24), he stressed that it was crucial to give appointees the assistance they need to do their duties.

    Adorye claimed, using a text message, that deputy ministers were only receiving GH 250 in fuel allowance, which he thought was a pitiful sum considering the types of engagements that ministers took on.

    “On the fuel issue, I have a text message that shows that deputy Ministers get GH¢250 cedis worth of fuel every week. GH¢250 cedis only, how much is one litre, for a minister to be given 250 cedis for a week? That comes up to GH¢1000 cedis for a whole month.

    “If they arrive late at an event too, they have issues. 250 cedis of fuel is among some of the factors that breed corruption in this country,” he lamented.

    What Ofori-Atta said about V8s and fuel allocations

    Under the section of the budget on “Implementation of the Cabinet directives on expenditure measures,” the Minister said:

    Mr. Speaker, as the first step toward expenditure rationalisation, the Government has approved the following directives which take effect from January, 2023:

    ● All MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit systems, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous year’s (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;

    ● A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross-country travel. All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023;

    ● Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;

    ● Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members. Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff;

  • Ghanaians made a mistake voting for the NPP after believing their lies – Mahama

    Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that Ghanaians made a mistake by voting out his government in the 2016 presidential elections.

    According to him, in spite of the achievements of his government, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was able to convince Ghanaians that he was incompetent, which led to his being booted out of office.

    Mahama, who made these remarks while addressing constituency and regional executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper West Region, added that Ghanaians are now suffering the consequences of the wrong choice they made in 2016.

    “Whatever happens in this country affects everybody. When we make a wrong choice, it affects us not today, but tomorrow and tomorrow next, and next year and the year after.

    “We made that wrong choice in 2016. Despite everything we did, the people of Ghana were convinced that we were incompetent, and so they voted against us. And the effects of that decision in 2016 are continuing to follow us every day till now,” he said.

    Mahama also said that Ghanaians should not accept the excuses of the government that the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic are what caused the hardship in the country.

    He implied that the government’s poor management is causing unprecedented hardships for Ghanaians.

    The former president, therefore, urged the executives of the party, from the polling stations to the national level, to work hard to rescue Ghanaians from the current NPP government.

  • Deputy Ministers get GH¢250 worth of fuel weekly – Hopeson Adorye alleges

    Hopeson Adorye of the New Patriotic Party has asked the government to be realistic with a budgetary directive to slash fuel allocations by 50% and also a freeze on the use of V8s.

    He insisted on Oman FM’s Boiling Point programme (November 24) that it was imperative to provide the necessary support for appointees in the line of their duties.

    Adorye alleged citing a text message that deputy ministers were being given GH¢250 as fuel allowance, an amount he considered very little for the kind of engagements that ministers undertake.

    “On the fuel issue, I have a text message that shows that deputy Ministers get 250 cedis worth of fuel every week. GH¢250 cedis only, how much is one litre, for a minister to be given GH¢250 cedis for a week? That comes up to GH¢1000 cedis for a whole month.

    “If they arrive late at an event too, they have issues. GH¢250 cedis of fuel is among some of the factors that breed corruption in this country,” he lamented.

    What Ofori-Atta said about V8s and fuel allocations

    Under the section of the budget on “Implementation of the Cabinet directives on expenditure measures,” the Minister said:

    Mr. Speaker, as the first step toward expenditure rationalisation, the Government has approved the following directives which take effect from January, 2023:

    ● All MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit systems, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous year’s (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;

    ● A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross-country travel. All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023;

    ● Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;

    ● Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members. Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff.

  • V8 ban in 2023 budget: Are we going to buy new saloon cars? – Hopeson Adorye asks

    Hopeson Adorye of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has questioned the realistic nature of a recent budgetary directive to the effect that the use of V8 within Accra has been banned.

    He questions whether or not those with V8 cars will be given new saloon cars in order for them to quit the usage of the V8s.

    “With the issue of V8s, I am wondering how it will be done. Are we going to buy new saloon cars for Ministers or what? Because most of them use V8s already,” he submitted on Oman FM’s Boiling Point programme, November 24.

    He also questioned the issue of fuel cuts of 50% for appointees: “Even this government fuel that has been slashed, how do we want the appointees to work? As for that one, I disagree, so what should they do?

    “Some of these things must be tackled realistically. Imagine a Minister with a fuel coupon of 2,000 cedis, now having 1000 cedis but his full tank costs 1,800, so if their car runs out of fuel after three days, what do I do?” he quizzed.

    What Ofori-Atta said about V8s and fuel allocations

    Under the section of the budget on “Implementation of the Cabinet directives on expenditure measures,” the Minister said:

    Mr. Speaker, as the first step toward expenditure rationalisation, the Government has approved the following directives which take effect from January, 2023:

    ● All MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs are directed to reduce fuel allocations to Political Appointees and heads of MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs by 50%. This directive applies to all methods of fuel allocation including coupons, electronic cards, chit systems, and fuel depots. Accordingly, 50% of the previous year’s (2022) budget allocation for fuel shall be earmarked for official business pertaining to MDAs, MMDAs and SOEs;

    ● A ban on the use of V8s/V6s or its equivalent except for cross-country travel. All government vehicles would be registered with GV green number plates from January 2023;

    ● Limited budgetary allocation for the purchase of vehicles. For the avoidance of doubt, the purchase of new vehicles shall be restricted to locally assembled vehicles;

    ● Only essential official foreign travel across government including SOEs shall be allowed. No official foreign travel shall be allowed for board members. Accordingly, all government institutions should submit a travel plan for the year 2023 by mid-December of all expected travels to the Chief of Staff.

  • Respect caucus communication channels – NPP to Majority MPs

    Members of the Majority caucus in parliament have been asked to give high regard to communication channels within the caucus in putting out their grievances.

    The directive issued by the leadership of the New Patriotic Party to its MPs, who form the majority caucus in parliament, is on the back of their demand for the removal of the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The party, in a statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong said “In the meantime, the leadership of the Parliamentary Group and the leadership of the party counselled the Honourbale Members of Parliamentary party to respect to the caucus communications channel, and to the largest extent possible, work together as one caucus unit.

    “Leadership of the party in this regard call upon the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Business in the House including in particular the 2023 budget statement and economic policy and all connected matters.”

    The leadership of NPP had to hold a crunch meeting with members of the majority ahead of the presentation of the 2023 budget by the finance minister.

    This was after some of the majority MPs decided to go back on their calls for the removal of the minister amidst threats to boycott the budget presentation if he is allowed to appear before parliament on Thursday, September 24, 2022.

    However, the MPs have been compelled to hold off on their call for the minister’s dismissal after the meeting with the party’s leadership.

    The party has also instructed the MPs to ensure their presence and participation in proceedings when the minister presents the budget.

     

  • Government intends to increase consumption taxes in 2023 budget – Bright Simons hints

    The 2023 budget presentation by the Finance Minister is anticipated to herald a clear route towards economic recovery, according to Honorary Vice President of policy think-tank IMANI Africa, Bright Simons. However, Simons is concerned that the decision to impose new taxes may impede that growth.

    He claims that in order to restore macroeconomic stability, the government is currently seeking an IMF program, and that investors and citizens around the world are instead watching for indications of a viable fiscal plan.

    Bright Simons raised alarm about the government’s plan to impose higher consumption taxes on already-burdened citizens in a series of tweets on November 23.

    It has been widely reported that government plans to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) for goods and services – a situation that could further compound economic woes.

    Bright Simons has also questioned whether an evenly split Parliament, especially the Minority side, will throw their support behind a budget that seeks to impose more taxes on already burdened citizens.

    He also indicated government’s inability to consult civil society groups and other relevant stakeholders ahead of the 2023 budget before lawmakers on November 24, 2022.

    “The government of Ghana intends to present its budget for 2023 tomorrow. Given the intensity of the economic crisis, investors globally are looking for signs of a credible fiscal plan out of the mess. The government intends to increase consumption taxes. The Parliament is evenly split,” he wrote.

    “Anyone who reads bbsimons.com know my analysis of the biggest challenge ahead in resolving the crisis: social and political consensus. It is thus shocking that tomorrow the government expects the Opposition and civil society to support a budget it has not consulted anyone on,” Mr Simons added.

    He continued, “Yet this haughty way of doing policy: adamantly ignoring inputs, dismissing feedback and doubling down when caution is raised, is exactly why Ghana is in this deep economic crisis. Clearly, there will be no change. Tomorrow’s budget is thus nothing more than a MISSED OPPORTUNITY”

    Meanwhile, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been under intense pressure from members of the governing New Patriotic Party to resign over the current economic challenges which has impacted almost all economic indicators.

    The Minority in parliament have also filed a censure motion against Ken Ofori-Atta on some seven grounds.

     

  • Failure to pass 2023 budget could derail IMF negotiations – Gabby

    Private legal practitioner and a member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko says the current economic crisis could worsen should the 2023 Budget not be passed on time.

    According to Gabby the budget to be presented on Thursday, November 24, cannot suffer the fate of the previous one, referring to the 2022 Budget that saw a long debate and a protracted procedure.

    According to him, failure to pass the budget could derail the progress made with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout.

    Thursday’s 2022 budget is crucial. It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana.

    — Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) November 23, 2022

    In a tweet on Wednesday, the founder of the Danquah Institute think tank pleaded with parliamentarians belonging to the opposition National Democratic Congress to help get the budget passed.

    The outspoken politician added that revenue generation measures in the proposed budget are critical to solving the economic quagmire the country faces currently.

    “Thursday’s 2023 budget is crucial. It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures.

    “It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed.

    “Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana,” he tweeted.

    Embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to present the budget despite agitations within Majority MPs for him not to do so.
    The MPs have threatened to boycott the reading should he insist on presenting it, however, on Tuesday, November 22, the Council of Elders of the NPP and the national leadership of the party held a crunch meeting with the aggrieved MPs to reconsider their decision.

    Per JoyNews sources say the meeting was able to whip the non-conformist MPs in line, however it is unclear if the Minority who have filed a censure motion against the minister, will be present for the budget reading.

     

  • Ofori-Atta resigned from Databank for health reasons but is healthy to be a minister? – Pratt asks

    The managing editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has bemoaned the instance of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta staying at post despite the many calls for him to step down.

    Speaking in an interview on Peace FM, monitored by GhanaWeb, Pratt wondered why the minister who claimed he resigned from the Data Bank on health grounds is healthy enough to be a minister of state.

    He added that Ofori-Atta should resign because the position in the finance ministry is not his personal business.

    “If I were Ofori-Atta, I would have resigned long ago. He said he works for free but he is refusing to resign. He said he resigned from Data Bank because of his health.

    “And so if you cannot do the work at Data Bank because of your health, how is it that you are healthy enough to be the finance minister of the whole of Ghana,” he said in Twi.

    The veteran journalist further stated that he still holds the view that sacking Ofori-Atta will not make any significate difference but it is time for him (the finance minister) to go.

    “The minister can choose not to resign but he must know that his decision must meet the demands of Ghanaians because he is not running a private business,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the government has indicated that it will present the 2023 budget in Parliament on Thursday, November 24, 2024. However, the person who presents the budget has become an issue.

    This is because 98 MPs of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have indicated that they will boycott the reading of the budget if Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is the one to present it.

    Also, an ad hoc committee of Parliament set up to investigate a vote of censure motion against Ofori-Atta by National Democratic Congress MPs is expected to present its report to the house on Tuesday, November 22.

     

  • 2023 budget is crucial; could derail negotiations with IMF if not passed – Gabby

    A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Gabby Otchere-Darko has pleaded with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament to support in approving the yet-to-be delivered 2023 budget statement after its presentation.

    He indicated that the the 2023 budget is crucial.

    “It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana,” he tweeted.

    Thursday’s 2022 budget is crucial. It can’t suffer a fate similar to the 2022 budget and its revenue measures. It could completely derail negotiations with the Fund if not passed. Critical to this are its revenue generation measures. We plead the NDC joins NPP in this for Ghana.

    — Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) November 23, 2022

    The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to present the budget in Parliament on Thursday November 24.

    Already, some aggrieved lawmakers on the side of the government threatened to boycott the presentation if Mr Ofori-Atta is the one assigned to present the document.

    Member of Parliament for Asanti-Akyem North Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi earlier served notice that the aggrieved MPs won’t be in Parliament to support the budget if Mr Ofori-Atta is the one to present the document.

    The MPs believe that a new face should replace the Finance Minister due to the current economic challenges.

    He told journalists that “We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the Finance Minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned we’re never going to do business with him.

    “And if we’re not going to do business with him, he does not participate in any process from the Presidency to the House. We will not participate in deliberations too.”

    But at a crunch meeting in Accra on Tuesday November 22, the leadership of the party and the Majority group in Parliament in a statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said “In the meantime, the leadership of the Parliamentary Group and the leadership of the party counselled the Honourbale Members of Parliamentary party to respect to the caucus communications channel , and to the largest extent possible, work together as one caucus unit. .

    “Leadership of the party in this regard call upon the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Business in the House including in particular the 2023 budget statement and economic policy and all connected matters.”

  • NPP won’t go into opposition under my tenure – Stephen Ntim

    The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Stephen Ntim says he is determined to lead the party to victory in the 2024 elections.

    According to him, with the support of his party members, defying all odds to win the next elections is his only aim.

    Mr. Ntim says it will not be in his tenure that the party will go into opposition.

    “You will agree with me that, I have spent 20 years in the political wilderness before getting to where I am right now. I will not become National Chairman only to take the party back to opposition. We are committed to identifying where the previous administration left off for us. We are going to strengthen what they did and build upon their accomplishments.”

    Earlier this week, the NPP officially inaugurated all the standing committees of its national council.

    The move, according to the party, is in line with measures to further position the party strongly to execute its tasks in preparation ahead of the 2024 elections.

    Stephen Ntim indicated that he will ensure that the committees work and deliver on their mandate.

    General Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Koduah urged the committees to work diligently since the success of the party depends on them.

    “First and foremost, your first loyalty is to the party, or matters that come before your committee should be kept at the committee level unless the party hierarchy demands that it comes out. You should be able to execute your duties without fear or favour,” he urged.

    Mr. Koduah said the NPP will be the first political party to win elections three consecutive times, come 2024 elections.

    “Winning the 2024 elections will be historical. We will be the first political party to have won the elections three consecutive times, and Mr. Chairman Insha Allah it’s possible. In terms of policies, no political party can compare itself to the New Patriotic Party (NPP). In spite of the challenges that we are going through as a country, certainly before the 2024 elections, things would have turned and Ghanaians will still have confidence in the NPP,” he stated.

     

  • Anti-Ofori-Atta MPs agree to ‘support’ budget after Majority, NPP leadership meeting

    The Majority Caucus in Parliament has mended all cracks in their front ahead of the November 24 reading of the 2023 Budget Statement by embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    A meeting between the lawmakers and leaders of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, was held on November 23 at which a number of agreements were reached.

    The main points are that the Minister will be supported in presenting the budget and seeing through its appropriation as well as be allowed to see through the current phase of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, IMF.

    The meeting comes on the back of a renewed call by some 98 NPP MPs who had threatened to boycott the budget presentation if Ofori-Atta appears to present it.

    A statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong read in part: “At a meeting this evening, the 22 of November 2022, involving the Majority Caucus, the Leadership of the Party and the Council of Elders, it has been agreed by all to refocus and recline to the earlier position requested by the President.”

    The three broad areas agreed on were as follows

    1. The demand be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would feed into the 2023 Budget;

    2. The presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on the 24th November 2022 by the Finance Minister on behalf of the President; and

    3. The subsequent presentation and passage of the Appropriation Bill

    “The meeting agreed that the President would act upon the initial request of the NPP Parliamentary Caucus after the conclusion of these matters,” the statement added.

    Find the full statement below:

    22nd November 2022.

    RESOLUTION OF IMPASSE IN THE NPP PARLIAMENTARY GROUP

    Over the past two weeks, especially, after the President had engaged the Majority Caucus over calls for the ouster of the Minister of Finance as well as the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and a statement on the engagement had been issued, the country has, witnessed a heightened public/media discussion on same subject matter.

    There have been occasional individual interventions some of which have not helped the resolution of the issue in contention. On the other hand, some of these interventions have contributed to escalate tensions and suspicions.

    At a meeting this evening, the 22 of November 2022, involving the Majority Caucus, the Leadership of the Party and the Council of Elders, it has been agreed by all to refocus and recline to the earlier position requested by the President, to wit:

    1. The demand be stood down until the conclusion of the round of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which would feed into the 2023 Budget;

    2. The presentation of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on the 24th November 2022 by the Finance Minister on behalf of the President; and

    3. The subsequent presentation and passage of the Appropriation Bill

    The meeting agreed that the President would act upon the initial request of the NPP Parliamentary Caucus after the conclusion of these matters.

    In the meantime, the Leadership of the Parliamentary group and the Leadership of the Party counselled the Honourable Members of the Parliamentary Party to resort to the Caucus ‘communication channels and, to the largest extent possible, work together as one Caucus unit.

    Leadership and the Party in this regard call upon the Members of Parliament to attend to all Government Businesses in the House including, in particular, the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy and all connected matters.

    SIGNED
    HON. ANNOH-DOMPREH, (MP) MAJORITY CHIEF WHIP, PARLIAMENT OF GHANA

    JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG, GENERAL SECRETARY NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY

  • Your first loyalty is to the NPP – Justin Kodua to standing committee members

    Justin Kodua Frimpong has tasked members of all Standing Committees of the party to put loyalty to the New Patriotic Party, NPP, above all other considerations.

    Kodua was speaking on November 22, 2022, in Accra at the official swearing-in of all Standing Committees announced by the Stephen Ntim-led National Executives team.

    “For various members of the committee, as you have sworn the oath, please, you should know that first and foremost, your first loyalty is to the New Patriotic Party and issues or matters that come before your committee should be kept at the committee level unless the party decides that it should come out,” he said.

    In early November, the National Council of the party appointed members and chairpersons to serve on the party’s standing and ad hoc committees.

    In a press release dated November 3, the appointment by the National Council was in line with the party’s constitution.

    “Pursuant to Article 10(3)(6) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constitution, the National Council, at its meeting held on October 5, 2022, and upon further consultations with relevant stakeholders, appointed the following persons to serve on the Standing and Ad hoc Committees of the Party,” parts of the release read.

    The appointed members are to serve on the party’s finance, constitution and legal committees; organisation; research; disciplinary and communication committees.

    The finance committee will be chaired by Abankwa Sekyere; the constitutional and legal committee by Frank Davies; the organisation committee by Lord Oblitey Commey; the research committee by Osei Bonsu Amoah; the disciplinary committee by Kwasi Amoako-Atta and the communication committee by Nana Akomea.

  • Lady Justice remains blind – Gabby Otchere-Darko reacts to court’s dismissal of suit against Jomoro MP

    A leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has described as refreshing a decision by a High Court to dismiss a suit challenging the election of Jomoro Member of Parliament, Dorcas Affo-Toffey.

    According to him, the decision by the court among other things is a clear indication of the fairness of the judiciary system of Ghana.

    “Congrats! It is refreshing to be amply reminded that the legal system works! That, Lady Justice remains blind,” Mr Otchere-Darko wrote in a tweet in reaction to NDC member, Joyce Bawa Mogtari’s celebration of the court’s decision.

    The opposition National Democratic Congress has over the period accused the bench of being bias against the party.

    Some NDC members have cited the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the party’s petition against the 2020 presidential election result to back their claim.

    However, the Sekondi High Court on Monday, November 21, 2022, dismissed a petition against the NDC Member of Parliament for Jomoro.

    The case which had been ongoing for close to two years was decided when the court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere dismissed the case on grounds that the MP was eligible to contest.

    The court held that she lost her Ivorian citizenship at the very time she acquired her Ghanaian citizenship, thus, there was no merit in the petition seeking to annul her election on the basis of her having dual citizenship.

    The petition was filed by one Joshua Emuah Kofie, who was challenging the eligibility of the MP to contest as a representative of the people in the constituency on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    He submitted that she had multiple nationalities, including American and Ivorian citizenships, which is against the 1992 Constitution.

    While the court determined that she did not have Ivorian citizenship at the time of filing and contesting in 2020, the MP denied having American citizenship.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • What you didn’t know about Charles Adu Boahen

    Charles Kofi Adu Boahen is a politician and government official from Ghana. He is Ghana’s deputy finance minister and a member of the New Patriotic Party.

    He is the son of Albert Adu Boahen, who represented the New Patriotic Party in the 1992 general elections in Ghana.

    With over 19 years of expertise in finance, Hon Charles Adu Boahen has worked in corporate finance, investment banking, asset management, and private equity.

    He graduated from the University of Southern California with a BSc in Chemical Engineering.
    His MBA was from Harvard Business School as well.

    He attended Achimota School where he had his O Level and Mfantsipim School where he had his ‘A’ Level.

    He was the Director and Regional Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for SBSA. He was the Vice President for JP Morgan for over five years and Head of Investment Banking for Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Prior to his appointment as a Deputy Minister for Finance, Charles was the CEO of Black Star Advisors (BSA), a boutique investment bank and asset management firm, and Primrose Properties Ghana (PPG), a real estate development company, both of which he founded in 2007.

    Prior to that, Charles Adu Boahen was a Director and Regional Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for Standard Bank of South Africa.

    Prior to Standard Bank, he was with JP Morgan for over five years as Vice President and Head of Investment Banking for Sub-Saharan Africa where he was responsible for developing the Investment banking business across sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa, he was also the JPM Senior Country Representative for Nigeria.

    After Business School, Adu Boahen joined the $400mm AIG African Infrastructure Fund as an Investment Officer.

    After college, he joined Salomon Smith Barney, now part of Citigroup, on Wall Street in their Investment Banking Division where his responsibilities included various corporate finance and mergers & acquisitions assignments, primarily in the Chemicals and Energy sector.

    Charles Adu Boahen has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California.

  • NPP national leadership to meet MPs over demands for Ofori-Atta’s removal

    The National Council of Elders and national leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are set to hold a crunch meeting with members of parliament on the ticket of the party at 5pm today, Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

    The meeting with the MPs who form the Majority Caucus of the current parliament is to discuss their demand for the removal of the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, from office.

    Amidst their threats to boycott the minister’s presentation of the 2023 budget slated for Thursday, the leadership of the ruling party, according to a report by Myjoyonline.com, has scheduled to meet the MPs at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.

    The aim of the meeting, according to the report, is to address the concerns of the MPs and pave the way for a smooth presentation of the budget in parliament.

    Amidst public demands for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta, some members of the Majority Caucus at a recent press conference echoed the demand for his removal, citing the current state of the Ghanaian economy among other issues.

    Out of the over 130 members of the Majority Caucus, some 98 of the MPs have announced their intent to boycott the 2023 budget presentation if Mr Ofori-Atta is allowed to make the presentation.

    “We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the Finance Minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned, we’re never going to do business with him,” a spokesperson of the 98 MPs, Andy Appiah Kubi who is also the MP for Asante Akyem North recently said in a media interview.

     

  • Lady Justice remains blind – Gabby Otchere-Darko reacts to court’s dismissal of suit against Jomoro MP

    A leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has described as refreshing a decision by a High Court to dismiss a suit challenging the election of Jomoro Member of Parliament, Dorcas Affo-Toffey.

    According to him, the decision by the court among other things is a clear indication of the fairness of the judiciary system of Ghana

    “Congrats! It is refreshing to be amply reminded that the legal system works! That, Lady Justice remains blind,” Mr Otchere-Darko wrote in a tweet in reaction to NDC member, Joyce Bawa Mogtari’s celebration of the court’s decision.

    The opposition National Democratic Congress has over the period accused the bench of being bias against the party.

    Some NDC members have cited the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the party’s petition against the 2020 presidential election result to back their claim.

    However, the Sekondi High Court on Monday, November 21, 2022, dismissed a petition against the NDC Member of Parliament for Jomoro.

    The case which had been ongoing for close to two years was decided when the court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere dismissed the case on grounds that the MP was eligible to contest.

    The court held that she lost her Ivorian citizenship at the very time she acquired her Ghanaian citizenship, thus, there was no merit in the petition seeking to annul her election on the basis of her having dual citizenship.

    The petition was filed by one Joshua Emuah Kofie, who was challenging the eligibility of the MP to contest as a representative of the people in the constituency on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    He submitted that she had multiple nationalities, including American and Ivorian citizenships, which is against the 1992 Constitution.

    While the court determined that she did not have Ivorian citizenship at the time of filing and contesting in 2020, the MP denied having American citizenship.

  • I pay $500 million per-year to clear Mahama’s IPP debts – Ken Ofori-Atta

    Ken Ofori-Atta, the finance minister, has stated that he finds it “curious” that the minority caucus cited energy costs burdening Ghana’s coffers to support their claim that he has been careless in managing the economy. He claims that a significant portion of the debt burden is a result of unnecessary contracts signed by the Mahama administration with some independent power producers during the dumsor season.

    In his appearance before the ad hoc committee of parliament, Mr. Ofori-Atta asserted, “We laid out the 2022 budget to achieve fiscal consolidation anchored on debt sustainability.” The minority caucus had used seven allegations as the basis for seeking his removal from office through a censure motion.

    He added that, “It is important at this point, to also highlight that a key component of the national debt stock related to three exceptional expenditure items that are neither external nor a creation of this government”.

    He said: “Energy Sector Excess Capacity payments (GHC17 billion), which relate to a legacy of take or pay contracts that saddled the country’s economy with annual excess capacity charges of close to US$1 billion; direct COVID-19 expenditure amounted to GHC 12.0 billion, and the banking sector clean-up (GHC 25 billion)”.

    These three items alone, Mr Ofori-Atta noted contribute to about 23% of the country’s annual debt servicing cost.

    “These three items were not created through the recklessness of the New Patriotic Party”, he noted.

    According to him, the “long dumsor that Ghanaians endured under the NDC administration between 2012 and 2016 was more to do with the NDC government’s inability to pay for power”.

    “So, Co-Chairs, I find it curious that Hon. Ato Forson will choose to cite energy bills as an example of the recklessness that the Minority charges me with and seek my removal by censure, especially when we have had to pay around $500 million dollars a year in excess capacity charges, for power the previous administration negotiated that we do not need and we do not use”, he explained.

    “In actual fact, we have been able to renegotiate some of these power purchase agreements and the new agreements with the Priority IPPs, once finalised and executed will offer estimated nominal savings of more than USD 4 billion over the next 5 years”.

     

  • Frank Davies questions reliance of key expert witness in Jomoro election petition

    The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s Legal Committee, Frank Davies, has criticised the reliance on Jomoro MP’s expert in foreign law, whose testimony was key to dismissing the election petition in the constituency.

    Speaking on The Point of View, he felt the judge should not have been bound by the expert witness, who was an Ivorian lawyer, and insisted further that the “man wasn’t an expert.”

    “If you are a trained lawyer in Côte d’Ivoire and you have practised for 15 years, that does not make you an expert in foreign law… 15 years of practice does not make you an expert in foreign law.”

    “It is the Ivorian nationality code which is in contest so as to whether an expert has given evidence or not, we can not shy away from the judge’s legal determination because, at the end of the day, you the judge are the arbiter of facts and the law,” Mr. Davies argued further.

    The Jomoro MP, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, who stood on a National Democratic Congress ticket, faced the election petition because she was accused of having Ivorian citizenship ahead of the 2020 polls.

    The MP however argued that she renounced her citizenship before formally contesting.

    The court agreed with her, saying she did not have Ivorian citizenship at the time she filed her nomination forms to contest as an MP.

    In the judgement, the judge said the petitioner also did not demonstrate that the MP was not qualified to contest the 2020 parliamentary election and did not produce any evidence.

    The NDC’s Director of Legal Affairs, Abraham Amaliba, downplayed the concerns raised by Mr. Davies.

    He felt the expert witness presented was credible enough because of his legal qualifications.

    “We brought somebody who is knowledgeable in Ivorian law, and any lawyer in any part of the world is knowledgeable in the laws of his country.”

    “They didn’t bring somebody to counter and contradict what he said, and that is what won the day for us,” Mr. Amaliba said.

    Source: Citinewsroom.com 

  • Ofori-Atta’s response to our threat to boycott budget reading is unfortunate – Spokesperson for 98 NPP MPs

    The 98 MPs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have reacted to the Finance Minister’s decision to present the 2023 budget despite their demand that he should resign or be sacked.

    According to the lawmakers, they would stick to their decision to boycott the budget presentation and other Finance Ministry-related business if Ken Ofori-Atta is not sacked.

    Last Friday, Mr Ofori-Atta in an interview with JoyNews confirmed that he will present the 2023 budget on Thursday, despite the request by the NPP MPs.

    He further stated that he had not been officially informed about the threat of the 98 NPP MPs.

    Reacting to this, the MP for Asante Akim North, who is the spokesperson for the group, said the Minister’s response to their concerns is unfortunate.

    Mr. Andy Appiah-Kubi further noted that the Majority Group has lost confidence in the Minister.

    He added that Mr Ofori-Atta should have resigned long ago.

    “I give him the benefit of decision whether or not he has heard, but we are also resolute. So if he hasn’t heard, in the course of time, he will hear. So let’s wait for him to come to the point of hearing.

    “As I continue to say, we are not probing him on legalities, we are probing him on politics and currently, we’ve lost interest in him,” he explained on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday.

  • ‘That seems to be a weird question’ – Ofori-Atta on who will present 2023 budget

    Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has described as ‘weird’ a question about whether he expects to be the one to present the 2023 budget statement later this week.

    He told journalists in Parliament on November 18 that he expected to be the one to deliver the budget stressing that he had not been officially communicated about opposition to that move by lawmakers of his own party.

    He had just finished giving evidence to the Parliamentary ad hoc committee probing a censure motion brought against him by the Minority Caucus, which committee is to present its report to the House today.

    Asked about the work of the committee, he responded: “I guess it is democracy in play and we just seek fairness and we are confident in how the process will evolve.”

    On whether or not he will deliver the budget, he said: “Yes, I expect so, that seems to be a weird question.”

    “I don’t know, I haven’t heard that officially but we will see,” was his response when asked about the group of 98 New patriotic Party MPs who were opposed to him presenting the budget.

    An economy in distress

    The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.

    The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.

    President Akufo-Addo and his government have come under heavy scrutiny for failing to address the current economic challenges in the country.

    The prices of goods and services have been continuously rising all year round, with inflation currently at over 40 per cent.

    The Ghana cedi has been ranked the worst currency in the world among 148 currencies tracked by Bloomberg, overtaking Sri Lanka’s rupee, having depreciated by nearly 50 per cent so far in 2022.

  • Ofori-Atta should have resigned the day IMF decision was taken – Appiah-Kubi

    Andy Appiah-Kubi, Member of Parliament for Asante Akim-North is of the view that Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta should have resigned on July 1, when the government ordered talks with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, amid an economic downturn.

    Of the two major reasons the MP who is the leader of a group of 98 New Patriotic Party MPs seeking the immediate resignation of the Minister; cited Ofori-Atta’s dogged anti-IMF stance and the lack of credibility to lead the IMF talks due to his public pronouncements.

    “Indeed, for me, I would have thought that the very day president said we were going to the IMF, that should have been the day he would have resigned…because he had promised that we will never have to get there.”

    He said the resignation would also have signalled that the minister was being honest to himself and Ghanaians, “…because where is your credibility in going for the programme and leading it? You had spoken against it and you said it to Ghanaians and the whole world and the IMF heard you.

    “What would the IMF think of you and of our whole programme? So, you should have left the scene for someone else to carry the mantle,” he said in an interview on Joy FM, November 21, 2022.

    Ofori-Atta is currently the subject of a censure vote brought against him by the Minority Caucus in addition to the 98 NPP lawmakers also demanding his immediate sack.

    An eight-member ad hoc committee that probed the seven grounds for censure struck out two of the grounds and is set to present its report to the plenary today.

    An economy in distress

    The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.

    The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.

    President Akufo-Addo and his government have come under heavy scrutiny for failing to address the current economic challenges in the country.

    The prices of goods and services have been continuously rising all year round, with inflation currently at over 40 per cent.

    The Ghana cedi has been ranked the worst currency in the world among 148 currencies tracked by Bloomberg, overtaking Sri Lanka’s rupee, having depreciated by nearly 50 per cent so far in 2022.

  • You’re a majority leader, not a majority messenger – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told

    Dr. Amoako Baah, a senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has chastised the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, for his handling of the call for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta by some members of his caucus.

    According to Dr. Baah, because the NPP MPs calling for Ofori-Atta’s removal form the Majority of the party’s parliamentary caucus, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu should be the one leading the charge.

    Dr. Baah, a retired political science lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNSUT), added that the majority leader cannot stand in the middle and just inform President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the demands of his members.

    “…I have been saying that Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is not performing his duties as majority leader well. If you are a majority leader and your members are agitating about an issue, you must first engage them, and if what they are saying is true, you have to join them.

    “So that if you lead them to the president, you will be there as part of them, not just their speaker or messenger. That is why you’re called the majority leader and not the majority messenger.

    “You go to the president and you tell him that they said they don’t agree with you. Is this what you are supposed to do? Why are you their leader? Can’t they (the MPs) speak for themselves?” he said.

    Dr. Baah also claimed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lost it when the majority leader informed him of some NPP MPs’ demand that Ofori-Atta be relieved of his duties, questioning whether they were aware of the role Data Bank, the finance minister’s bank, played in financing his presidential campaign.

    Meanwhile, the number of NPP MPs calling for the sacking of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has increased to 98 from the initial 80.

    The 80 MPs had earlier made calls for the dismissal of Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.

    The MPs later backed down following a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who asked that the minister be given time to conclude Ghana’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund as well as the presentation of the 2023 budget in parliament.

    However, in an interview with Joy News, the 80 MPs’ spokesperson, Andy Appiah-Kubi, stated that the group is returning to their original demand for the finance minister’s removal.

    According to the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, their renewed demand, with the support of 18 other members of their caucus, is because the minister’s position is now untenable.

    He added that the anti-Ofori-Atta MPs will boycott the budget presentation if he is allowed to come to parliament to present the budget.

  • Akufo-Addo longs to be like Nkrumah – Dr Amoako Baah

    Dr Amoako Baah, a leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is unconcerned about the difficulties Ghanaians are facing.

    Speaking in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Dr Baah said that all the president cares about is the pageantry that comes with the presidency.

    Dr Baah, who was reacting to viral pictures of the president with the British monarch, King Charles III during his private visit to the UK, said that Akufo-Addo only wants to be like Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

    “This is what he (Akufo-Addo) likes (meeting powerful people). He is called Nana Show boy. He likes beautiful things. He wants to be a statesman.

    “In spite of the fact that Nkrumah was the one who locked up his grandfather, he really likes him (Nkrumah). And so, he wants to be like Nkrumah in everything he does. He wants to be like a stateman; standing in front of people and giving speeches and so on, that is what he likes to do,” he said in Twi.

    “The thing is that Nana Addo does not have the genes of the NPP in him… Because why will someone like a person who locked up his grandfather which led to his death?

    “He (Akufo-Addo) does not have a good character. His grandfather died bitterly at the hands of Nkrumah but that does not disturb him. He only wants to be a show boy just as Nkrumah was,” he added.

     

  • Assibey Yeboah: It is suicidal to remove Ken Ofori-Atta at this “crucial hour”

    A former chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah has stated it will be “suicidal” to remove Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta from office “at this crucial hour.”

    He, has, therefore appealed to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) demanding his removal and have indicated their readiness not to support the 2023 Budget hearing, debate, approval of the estimates and the passage of the Appropriations Bill to reconsider their posture.

    He said time was of essence since the rules surrounding the budget is clear that it ought to be presented to Parliament on or before 15 November  every year.

    Already, one week has passed as of 21 November, and ideally, about six weeks is needed to do a thorough job on the budget consideration.

    He said when it comes to the Budget reading, it is possible anybody at all can read it provided the person was a Minister of State, but the chunk of the thorough work demands that the Minister and his team must lead – debate, approval of estimates and passage of Appropriations Bill.

    “It will be suicidal for the minister to be taken off at this crucial hour,” Assibey Yeboah, himself a former MP for New Juaben South said in a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online on Accra-based Oman FM on Monday (21 November).

    This is not the time for that, “to what end, what will it profit us. Even if a new minister is nominated today, it will not take this short period to vet and swear that person into office. That person is likely to be sworn into office in 2023. The deputy ministers can also not perform the function of the substantive minister, Parliament can even decide not to hear a deputy minister,” Dr Assibey Yeboah added.

    He said the minister will be needed at the committee level to defend the budget and therefore there is no need to create a vacuum.

    He said if the budget estimates and the Appropriations Bill is not done by December 22, 2022, it will disturb the entire nation and therefore Ofori-Atta should be supported to carry this through so that when it gets to January 2023 and the President decides to remove him, it will not create any inconveniences for the country.

    “As to whether Ken Ofori-Atta should be sacked or not, seriously I don’t have an opinion on that one, I leave it to the President to remove or maintain him,” he added and insisted the stance of the NPP MPs were problematic as some of them were “personalising” the issues.

    For now, let us get this out of the way, he said.

    Andy Kwame Appiah Kubi, spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament from the majority caucus, demanding the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister, had reiterated their stance not to participate in the 2023 Budget hearing and passage if President Akufo-Addo insists on keeping him in office.

    Appiah-Kubi, who is the NPP MP for Asante Akyem North said per their consultation, the majority of their constituents and NPP members were in agreement that, Ofori-Atta should be removed from office.

    He said the members disagreed with the suggestion that it is only Ofori-Atta who can present the 2023 Budget.

    “If he is not there, can’t others present the budget,” Appiah-Kubi questioned in a radio interview on Oman FM.

    “We have lost confidence in him because in the 2022 Budget, he promised that with an E-levy and property rate, there will be no need to go to the IMF for support… As we speak now, that has not happened and the property rate is even yet to take off.”

    “We are not convinced that it should be Ken Ofori-Atta and nobody else,” Appiah-Kubi added and insisted it is their “political decision” that Ofori-Atta must go for “the collective interest” of the NPP.

     

  • E-Levy: Ofori-Atta refused to listen to our advice to reduce rate to 1% – NPP MP

    The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akyem North, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, has said that the stubbornness of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is what has led to the poor performance of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).

    According to him, the minister refused to listen to the advice of New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs to reduce the rate of the levy from the proposed 1.75 percent to 1 percent.

    In an Oyerepa TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Andy Appiah said that should the minister have agreed to reduce the rate to 1 percent, MPs from both the minority and majority caucus would have supported the implementation of the levy and the clashes seen in the House would not have happened.

    “The thing is that if you want to evaluate a process you should not be partial with it…we had the E-Levy discussion at Ho, and we (the NPP MPs) were of the view that the 1.75 (percent) rate was too high and it will meet public resistance; so it should be reduced.

    He added, “We all agreed that if it was brought to 1 percent both the minority and the majority will agree and approve. And we will be able to collectively market it to the acceptance of the stakeholders. The intransigent at that ministry that exists till date is what brought the fights on the E-Levy.”

    “After some time, he (Ofori-Atta) said he had reduced the rate to 1.5 percent but the 1.5 was still not feasible. But he continued to give us hope that we can deliver with the 1.5,” he said in the Twi dialect.

    “This guy does not listen to anyone. So, the minority rejected the levy in Parliament because there was no consensus and this is what characterised our debate to the point it got to. Was it necessary,” Andy Appiah, who is one of the NPP MPs calling for Ofori-Atta’s removal, added.

  • Kwabena Agyepong ends tour of diaspora chapters; seeks to rejuvenate party grassroots

    Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer hopeful, has ended his tour of the diaspora chapters of the Party reiterating his desire to rejuvenate the Party’s grassroots.

    “The grassroot is the livewire of the Party and that’s my focus. I want to cure the disconnect. The Party and government belong to them and they must own and feel part of it.

    “My mission is to rejuvenate our political base and inspire hope in the youth of our country,” he said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the tour.

    He said the Party’s victory at the polls should be a victory for the grassroots and not a select few and said it was time for a “new dawn” where everybody was brought on board in governance for the good of the NPP and the country.

    Mr Agyepong said he was working to unite the Party and use the Jehovah Witness’ soul winning strategy to canvas for vote for the NPP in the 2024 general election.

    “It is time to do things right. We’ve come very far. Let’s redefine our grassroots. Let’s bring them onboard and they must be onboard during the campaign time, election time and part of governance. The time of use and dump is gone. No more should our people be abandoned at the rendezvous of victory,” he stressed.

    Mr Agyepong said he was offering himself to lead the NPP to bring transformation to all sectors of the Ghanaian economy.

    “For me, it is not about becoming a President, but the transformation of our dear Nation. Where we are as a country needs a new thinking, new ideas and new direction. In fact, our very understanding of party politics and public service must be looked at again,” he said.

    Mr Agyepong said Ghana needed a “compassionate and selfless” leader and that he was that nation builder ready to work with the masses to provide a “new dawn” and transform the country.

  • Galamsey economy: Anas is not practising journalism, says Samoa Addo

    Private legal practitioner, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo has described the latest documentary by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and titled “Galamsey economy” as an entrapment.

    President Akufo-Addo terminated the appointment of the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry Charles Adu Boahen in connection with the investigative piece.

    “After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, “Galamsey Economy”, the President spoke to Mr. Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment, and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations,” the statement of his termination said.

    Reacting to the development on Asaase 99.5 Accra’s news analysis and current affairs show – The Forum – on Saturday (19 November), Addo said the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng cannot handle the case. 

    Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo
    Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo

    “Journalism isn’t about trapping people,” Addo said. “It’s not about setting people up. It’s about filming people in their natural state; that is why I sued the GJA [Ghana Journalists’ Association] for awarding him [Anas] Journalist of the Year. I’m happy that Kennedy Agyapong went out there.”

    “Now there are rules, but I think we need to do more. Journalists need to do more. What I see is not journalism, it’s entrapment.

    “I don’t think Kissi Agyebeng will be able to handle this thing because he was Anas’s private lawyer and his firm still represents him,” Addo said.

    Misleading piece

    Speaking on the same programme, the deputy general secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko described the investigative piece as misleading.

    Dr Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko
    Dr Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko

    “I find something wrong with the legality of the whole exposé. I think that an investigative piece professionally and legally is based on fact. Some of the things being said in the voiceover, where are they from?” she asked.

     

  • Ofori-Atta has dismantled NDC grand agenda to misinform about economy – Ahiagbah

    The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Richard Ahiagbah has said the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has destroyed an agenda by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to misinform the public on the Ghanaian economy.

    Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before the 8-member ad hoc committee to answer allegations made against him by the Minority in Parliament.

    He told the committee among other things that he does not believe that the allegations carry any weight.

    On the allegation of deliberate misreporting of economic data to Parliament, he said it is completely not true.

    “Since I took office in 2017, I have served the country with integrity and honesty.
    “Under my leadership at the Ministry of Finance, there have been significant improvements in the accurate reporting of public finances.

    Vote of Censure Paper (1)

    Reacting to the presentation by the Finance Minister, Mr Ahiagbah said in a tweet that “It took only 34 pages of evidence…to dismantle the grand NDC agenda to misinform Ghanaians about the state of our economy. Now let’s work together to serve the people.”

    He added “The NDC reduced everything in their quest to censure KOA, to politics. Zero evidence, just politics. Sadly, it’s becoming a pattern with the NDC to reduce everything to politics. Recall the 2021 Election petition. Evidence wins.”

     

  • How Kennedy Agyapong ‘intercepted’ a video by Anas in 2018

    About 8 months ago, MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, sounded a word of caution to members of the New Patriotic Party.

    He asked that NPP members tread carefully in matters relating to him, or else he was going to unveil a video from investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw he has from 2018.

    According to him, but for his intervention, the investigative journalist would have aired an investigative piece that showed a minister receiving some amount of money.

    In a video posted on NET2 television on its YouTube channel on February 23, 2022, the MP asked members of the NPP to be careful in their dealings with him (Agyapong) since he is the “saviour” of the party.

    “Anybody who tries to disgrace me, the information I’ll bring out, from Anas, the sin he was going to commit against us that I stopped. Anas was going to show a video where he has given the minister money on a table like this but he was not going to show that he had planned with people that it was a political fight in 2018,” Kennedy Agyapong said.

    He also detailed how Anas coached persons he picked up on the streets of Dubai, and coached and assigned them to set up Ghanaian businessmen and ministers.

    He said: “If you dare me, I’ll release Anas’ video. I swear to God. If the NPP does not tread carefully and they talk, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah. You have to be careful else I’ll bring the party down completely. If I bring the video and see if you’ll get even one Ghanaian to vote for us.”

    Speaking further he said “What Anas did as far back as February 8, 2018, when Anas set our businessmen and ministers up in Dubai. The only person in Authority I wanted to prove something to, about how I have saved this party and not a jerk like Yaw Buabeng Asamoah. In the course of the investigation, I chanced on the video where Anas was coaching people, and even the people he was coaching themselves panicked.

    “The people he wanted to use against our ministers and businessmen, Arabs he picked up on the street. He picks them on the street, and coaches them to destroy personalities in this country, Africa, and everywhere. That is what Anas was doing,” he added.

    Kennedy Agyapong also stated that what Anas sought to do was influenced by a political fight with the NPP.

    “Do you know what Anas did, he gave them the questions to ask the businessmen and the ministers, they panicked and Anas asked them; Why are you afraid, this is a political fight, I have done it before.

    “Anas has a political fight with NPP. If NPP makes a mistake, they know they cannot sacrifice me in the party, I’ll bring the video up and see if the NPP can even survive up to 3 months. As I speak to you, I’ve given copies of the video to the persons who were set up and they have admitted. NPP always wants to sacrifice me when there is an issue, they don’t know that I am the one saving this party,” he told the host.

    Earlier this week, investigative agency, Tiger Eye PI aired an investigative piece named “Galamsey Economy.”

    Before the televising of the piece, snippets were shared, which showed a now-former Minister of State Charles Adu-Boahen in a meeting with some potential investors.

    The minister was heard telling investors that to be able to meet the Vice-President, they would have to pay an “appearance fee” of $200,000.

    After the release, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo terminated his appointment.

  • Minimum wage: Let’s support government to do more for workers – NPP

    The Director of Communications for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Richard Ahiagbah, has appealed to Ghanaians to support the efforts of the government to do more for workers.

    The Director of Communications made this appeal while reacting to the new daily minimum wage that was announced by the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations In a tweet that said: “This government has agreed to a 10% increase in the minimum wage plus a 15% Cost of Living Adjustment over the 2022 minimum wage. This is great, but let’s support the government to do more for Ghanaians.”

    Employment Minister Ignatius Baffour-Awuah announced that the national daily minimum wage has been increased from GH¢13.53 in 2022 to GH¢14.88 pesewas for the year 2023.

    Organised Labour, the Ghana Employers Association and the government have been meeting on the determination of the national minimum wage for 2023 since Monday, November 14.

    The Minister at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, November 16, said that the national minimum wage tripartite committee concluded the negotiations and “we think this is the best time to communicate to Ghanaians on the outcome of the negotiations.”

    The committee, he said, took into account the current economic challenges, cost of living, sustainability of businesses and desirability of attaining higher levels of employment.

    “The committee concluded on the need to increase the national daily minimum wage by 10 per cent over the 2022 national daily minimum wage which translates into the new national daily minimum wage of GH¢14.88 pesewas and a cost of living allowance of 15 per cent over the 2023 national minimum wage.

    “The effective date for the implementation of the 2023 national minimum wage shall be 1st January 2023,” he informed

  • Even if a vote of censure motion goes through, Akufo-Addo may revoke it – Nana Akomea

    Former Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea, has said that the vote of censure filed by the minority caucus of Parliament against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta might amount to nothing even if it is passed.

    According to him, the 1992 Constitution indicates that the President of the Republic, which is now Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has the final say even if Parliament passes a vote of census against any of his appointees.

    Nana Akomea, who made these remarks during a panel discussion on Good Morning Ghana monitored by GhanaWeb, added that the vote of censure might not even pass because the minority caucus does not have the support of the majority that they need.

    “Even if you get the support of the majority on your vote of censure, what the Constitution says is very simple, it says in Clause 5 of Article 82 that where a vote of censure is passed against a minister the president may revoke (it).

    “So, this vote of censure that you’re coming to beat us, that is the way to go and that is what will succeed; even if you succeed which is not likely if you don’t get the support of the majority; but even if you succeed and you have the numbers and you do it, it will still be left with the president.

    “So, what is the rush (by the minority caucus),” he said.

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, referred a vote of censure filed by the minority caucus of Parliament for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee which started meeting on Monday, November 14, and is expected to decide on the removal of the minister within 7 days.

    The minority caucus has cited mismanagement of Ghana’s economy, conflict of interest, misrepresentation of figures on Ghana’s economy and unconstitutional withdrawal from the consolidated fund among others.

    The majority caucus, who have also indicated that they want the minister removed, have, however, stated that they will not support the vote of censure spearheaded by the minority caucus of the House because they do not agree with the reasons the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs cited.

  • V/R: Storekeeper, taxi driver arrested for stealing food items from school

    Two persons are in the grips of police in the North Dayi District of the Volta region for allegedly stealing food items belonging to the Sovie C.Y.O Technical and Vocational Institute.

    The suspects include the storekeeper of the school Mr. Elias Tsitsiwu and Mr. Christian Mane, a taxi driver who was allegedly carting the food items away from the school’s store on Wednesday night.

    The arrest of the two suspects follows several weeks of surveillance and intelligence work by some students of the school upon suspicion.

    Luck, however, eluded the two suspects when some students through a dangerous but an act of bravado chased and arrested suspect Christian Mane who sped off from the school campus in an Opel Caravan with registration number GR 6243-T fully loaded with food items purportedly stolen from the school’s store.

    Upon arrest, the suspect driver allegedly mentioned the school’s storekeeper, Mr. Elias Tsitsiwu as his accomplice.

    The vehicle is also believed to be owned by the storekeeper.

    A student who spoke to Starr News’ Faisel Abdul-Iddrisu on anonymity said, “Last night, I was going to bath when I suddenly heard the whistle and as a cadet member, I had to obey the whistle.”

    “I got there and there was a car fully loaded with our kitchen food so we decided to push the car to the school then the man who stole the food -our kitchen storekeeper came begging us but we refused,” he added.

    Things, however, got dramatic when the driver of the Opel Caravan attempted to speed off with the items forcing the students to jump onto the car.

    “The storekeeper while begging us told us that the driver would bring the car to the headmaster’s residence claiming that the steering wheel was locked but when the driver sat in the car, he switched on the ignition and started speeding off.”

    “So I and my two other friends jumped onto the car with one person finding his way into the car and attempted struggling with the driver but he pushed him onto the floor. So we started shouting while the remaining two of us cringed onto the top of the car.”

    But what really looked like a blockbuster would soon come to an end as the driver had a tyre burst on a speed ramp around the Anfoega hospital.

    At this point, town folks including Okada boys who heard the distress call from the two students atop the vehicle joined in the chase.

    The two students chased and pulled down the driver who attempted to abandon the vehicle even before the town folks and the police came in to help drag him to the police station with the vehicle and the items.

    The items allegedly stolen include bags of gari, rice, beans, and corn. Other items include tin tomatoes and 2 cartons of sardines.

    The District Chief Executive for North Dayi, Edmond Kudjo Attah who is livid about the incident has called on the police to ensure that the suspects are prosecuted.

    “I want to see the logical conclusion of this matter and for the police, I want to see how they will end this matter. People must answer for their wrongs.”

    The DCE believes such actions, mostly undertaken by greedy, selfish persons are aimed at sabotaging the government’s efforts in addressing the recent food shortage that has hit second cycle school’s across the country.

    “Things are difficult, the President admits himself, I admit same and so when out of such difficult the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is able to make funds available for us to feed our children and this is what people will do to us as a country,” Kudjo Attah laments.

    “Where are we going? I have this simple question; who is killing the nation? It is you and I. This kind of attitude, we are destroying the nation and the time has come for us to stop it and that is it,” the DCE retorted.

    Police in the North Dayi District have confirmed the arrest but are tight-lipped on any further details.

    The two are, however, expected to be charged for stealing and duly arraigned before court after investigations.

  • Claims Anas targeted Ofori-Atta for entrapment in 2018 infantile nonsense – Kweku Baako

    Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-In- Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper has described as infantile nonsense assertions that investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas targeted Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta for undercover investigation which failed as infantile nonsense.

    According to Asaase Radio, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye PI investigators failed to ensnare Ken Ofori-Atta after meeting with him and attempting to ‘bribe’ him with a gift.

    “Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and his Tiger Eye P.I. targeted the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in 2018, as part of the exposé that was released last Monday but failed to entrap him.

    Details emerging from the premiered documentary of Anas Aremeyaw Anas titled ‘Galamsey Economy’ on 14 November 2022 at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), confirm that beyond the then Deputy Minister for Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, the main objective of the investigation was to entrap the substantive Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    This was just over a year of the New Patriotic Party taking over from the National Democratic Congress in office.

    It has also emerged that Anas Aremeyaw Anas used a civil servant at the Ministry of Finance, who was then a Senior Economics Officer, to get, first to the Deputy Minister and it was the same civil servant who introduced the private legal practitioner to the fake bankers from Al Baraka Islamic Bank, Bahrain, and later on facilitated Ken Ofori-Atta’s meeting which failed to snare the minister,” the report read in part.

    But Kweku Baako has described the assertion as infantile nonsense.

    The Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is currently facing a censure motion from the minority in Parliament for mismanaging the economy. Nearly 100 Members of Parliament on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) also want him sacked…

  • Kufuor denies inviting 98 NPP MPs who want Ofori-Atta out for a meeting

    Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has denied reports that he invited the 98 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament who want the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta sacked, for a meeting.

    Mr Kufuor said in a statement that the reports indicating that he invited the lawmakers are not true and should be disregarded.

    “We wish to bring to the attention of the general public that there is no truth in the said publication,” the statement signed by his Senior Aide and Spokesperson Dr Kwabena Osei Adubofour, said on Thursday November 17.

    It added “The office of the former President vehemently detests the developing trend in the disinformation that mischievously seek to draw President Kufuor into issues that he has not commented on.”

    The 98 NPP Members of Parliament calling for Mr Ofori-Atta’s removal are being led by Asante-Akim North MP Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi.

    They believe that Mr Ofori-Atta should be changed for a fresh hand to manage the economy.

    The MP said they do not expect Mr Ofori-Atta to present the 2023 budget statement.

  • Sack Ofoti-Atta now or we boycott every government business – 98 NPP MPs

    Ninety-eight (98) members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have renewed their calls for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    If the President does not promptly fire him, they have threatened to boycott the upcoming 2023 budget presentation as well as all Finance Ministry activities.

    You might remember that on Tuesday, October 25, more than 80 MPs held a press conference to call for the dismissal of Charles Adu Boahen and Ken Ofori-Atta from their respective positions.

    As a result, he requested at a meeting with President Akufo-Addo that the Finance Minister be given permission to wrap up the IMF negotiations and deliver the 2023 budget statement.

    Charles Adu Boahen has since been sacked by President Akufo-Addo after a latest investigative piece by ace Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas implicated him.

    Majority call

    Subsequently, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu indicated that the call for the Finance Minister to be axed is from the entire Majority caucus.

    “Even though the issue started with a group of 80-plus, the caucus meeting aligned with the decision of that group. So it is no longer the cause of the 80-plus group. It is the agenda for the entire caucus,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Journalists in Parliament.

    However, the NPP MPs seem to have changed their minds about allowing the Finance Minister to present the budget statement. They want Ken Ofori-Atta gone immediately.

    No Turning Back

    The Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, who doubles as Spokesperson for the group speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ said, “we are not only going to boycott the budget presentation, we are also not going to be part of any business done through him and that is our position now”.

    “Yes, we are not part of the vote of censure . . . we want him gone, but by using a better approach and that is what we’re doing . . . indeed we agreed to the President’s request to wait but analyzing various public statements, especially from Ofori-Atta, it shows disrespect. It gives the impression that the President has no plan to dismiss him even after the budget presentation and so we’ve changed our mind; his dismissal should be now,” he insisted.

    The Asante Akyem North MP has further assured that they won’t change their stand even if the President calls for another meeting.

    “I can assure you that our current position won’t be changed,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the Finance Minister is now facing a vote of censure from the Minority side of Parliament.

  • Two major moves made by 2 NPP stalwarts to get ‘Ken Must Go’ MPs to backdown

    It is clear now that the number of Members of Parliament on the Majority side of parliament who want their own, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, out, have increased.

    From the initial 80 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs, the number has been reported to have risen to 98 in the last few days, owing from a revamped decision by the lawmakers to have the embattled minister step down.

    In that first press conference to call on the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to heed to their call, the MPs also threatened to boycott government business in parliament in protest, should their request be refused.

    But a few hours later, something major happened that got the ‘angry’ MPs to relax their stance.

    Akufo-Addo meets NPP MPs calling for Ken Ofori-Atta’s dismissal:

    Following the public declaration of disapproval of the finance minister by the MPs, an emergency meeting was conveyed at the behest of President Akufo-Addo to deliberate and understand the misgivings of the MPs towards the minister.

    The major fallout from the meeting was the president’s requests to the MPs to allow the finance minister three weeks to prepare the 2023 budget and conclude negotiations with the International Monetary fund.

    Speaking to Oyerepa TV, the Member of Parliament for Efiduase Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie, stated that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo promised to act in a manner that will not require the MPs to come back to him.

    “He [Akufo-Addo] promised us this way, after the end of the budget it won’t be necessary for us to come to him because of what he would do about the finance minister, because by then, there will be no need to come back to him,” he said.

    Ayew Afriyie said the president also mentioned four decisions he will take with regard to the matter.

    “He can do any of the following: sack the finance minister, reshuffle, re-assignment, or a replacement. He will do something that will not require us to come back to him,” Ayew Afriyie said.

    He however added that: “Even if the economy bounces back, we still want Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen to be gone.”

    And then after a while – when the NPP MPs seemed to have been living by the request of the president, they returned to state that they want him out again.

    This time, the number shot up to 98.

    And while this happened at a time an ad hoc committee in parliament, put together by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to look into a vote of censure on the finance minister, the MPs insisted on still pushing for Ofori-Atta to be sacked.

    President Kufuor meets with 98 NPP MPs:

    According to a starrfm.com.gh report, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has reportedly invited the 98 NPP MPs threatening to boycott the 2023 budget presentation should the current finance minister go ahead to read it in parliament.

    The meeting Starr News understands is for the former leader to resolve the standoff that has prevailed over the past weeks.

    Spokesperson for the agitating MPs, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, publicly announced the decision and stated that they have resolved to get Ken Ofori-Atta out this time.

    He stressed that they are convinced it is time for the beleaguered finance minister to leave, amid the minority censure motion laid in the House against him.

    “We’ve gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the finance minister, we’ll not participate because as far as we’re concerned we’re never going to do business with him.

    “And if we’re not going to do business with him, he does not participate in any process from the Presidency to the House. We will not participate in deliberations too,” Appiah-Kubi said.

    It remains to be seen whether the group will compromise its position the second time after the former president’s intervention.

  • Next big protest to hit Akufo-Addo will be from NPP youth – A Plus warns

    Media personality, A Plus, has warned that the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government must brace up for a massive protest.

    He adds that the protest will incidentally come from within the governing New Patriotic Party‘s youth wing.

    In a November 16, 2022 post describing why and how the protest will come about, the political activist cum musician said the demand of the youth will be for the removal of the president from office.

    “The next big demonstration against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be by the NPP youth. They will hit the street to demand his removal or early congress,” his post noted.

    It continued: “That is when Gabby will remember a conversation we had in London some time ago. Apparently, Kwame A Plus is not the only traitor in the party. The fruits of the spirit include long suffering. Kwame A Plus the vindicated soul.

    “Now all those who insulted me will be the president’s worst critics. I feeeel gooood, tanananananana. I knew that I would…God is good, God is good, god is good,” the post concluded.

    The government has been hit in the last few months by a number of protests over the economy and its mis/management.

    The most recent was the ‘Kume Preko Reloaded’ which was led by lawyer Martin Kpebu along with a number of anti-government groups. They marched through the streets of Accra demanding Akufo-Addo resign over the economic hardships Ghanaians are facing.

  • Ofori-Atta sitting on Akufo-Addo’s rot – Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe

    Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founding member of the New Patriotic Party, has wondered why President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hesitant to dismiss Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, despite calls from NPP lawmakers.

    According to him, this can be interpreted to mean that, the finance minister is sitting on some rot the president trusts that he is the only one who can fully protect.

    He noted that a new minister might expose what the president and the finance minister are hiding from Ghanaians.

    Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM, the former soldier added his voice to the numerous calls for the dismissal of the minister.

    He said, after the minister had bragged that Ghana is a sovereign nation and it is capable of managing its own affairs and does not need any external help, he would have resigned the very day Ghana decided to seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    “So you ask yourself, why is he still there? When a person is in position and the populace says ‘we’ve had enough of you, go away’ and still he wants to be there, the simple thing that should come to the mind of any ordinary Ghanaian is that he is sitting on the rot. When he’s not there, we’ll see how massive that rot is,” Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe explained.

    When asked who Ofori-Atta is covering up for, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said, “Who is the appointing authority of this country? And has the President approved of his removal?

    “The President should have asked him to go away. Here we have a situation where even an ordinary person in the streets says, ‘Ofori Atta must leave’.”

     

  • Alan will resign to pursue flagbearer position if economy stabilises – Adorye

    A member of the Alan for President 2024 campaign team, Hopeson Adorye, has indicated that the Trade and Industry Minister; Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, will heed the calls to resign to pursue his ambitions of leading the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 general elections only if the economy stabilises.

    According to him, Mr Kyerematen has a role to play in ensuring Ghana’s economy is brought back on track.

    He said Mr Kyerematen cannot afford to put his ambition ahead of the overall interest of the party going into the next elections.

    He said the party, and for that matter the government’s successes will be the vehicle Mr Kyerematen will run on as flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.

    He admitted there have been calls from all quarters pushing for the Minister to resign from the government to pursue his dreams of leading the party to break the eight-year political jinx.

    “Even last night, I had calls from as far as the Upper East and Upper West Regions seeking answers to why Alan was still part of the government when he is supposed to be campaigning to make his ambitions of leading the party a reality,” he revealed.

    “Alan Kyerematen is not resigning now because as a country we are in crisis and all hands are needed on deck,” he explained.

    He was quick to add that the trade minister will humbly tender his resignation if the party opens nominations for the position of flagbearer.

    Mr Adorye made the revelation in an interview with Nana Otu Darko, the sit-in host of the Ghana Yensom morning on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

    “I know many people are worried about Alan’s delays in resigning to pursue his ambitions,” he noted and added “Alan would have to campaign on the successes chalked on the economy that will be bequeathed to him by the current president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

  • COKA blames Ghana’s under development on dishonesty, greediness and corruption

    A former chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), in the Afigya Kwabre South Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, known in political circles as (COKA), has pinpointed dishonesty, greediness and corruption’ as the core bane to Ghana’s under development.

    The NPP stalwart, believes Ghana is not developing because the country has been infested with large number of dishonest and greedy individuals with high tendency of engaging in corrupt practices to serve their own parochial interest.

    “I personally describe these individuals as, “Economic Demons”, their toxic nature has collapsed thousands of both private and state owned companies which had the potential of employing more youth and generating massive revenue at the same time in the country “.

    Expressing his frustrations on his social media handles, on Tuesday November 15, 2022, Chairman COKA described as worrying, what he says is the increasing incidence of greed and selfishness exhibited by a large number of Ghanaians.

    “When you take your time to research, you will find out that the demons in Africa are powerful than those in Europe. You travel to Europe and you will see a company which was established 80 years go and the founder is no more yet the company is thriving. In Africa, a company dies after the founder is no more all because we are always thinking about today”.

    “However, those in the other part of the world think of today, tomorrow and their next generation to come. All our visions and dreams die with us all because there are people who are envious of our progress”. Plan for the future and stop selfishness”. He said in a Facebook post.

    Mr Odeneho Kwaku Appiah further noted that, the slow pace of the country’s development can only be blamed on such tendency, adding that, Ghana needs what he describes as service citizens and leaders to change the course of development.

  • 2024 elections: PNC, CPP, PPP to join forces to wrestle power from NPP

    Three Nkrumahist political parties have kick-started talks to join forces to wrestle power from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    The three Nkrumahist parties are the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC).

    The National Chairman of the PPP, Nana Ofori Owusu, gave this hint on Accra 100.5 FM’s 6 a.m. news on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

    According to him, there is a need for the Nkrumahist parties to unite to prosecute the 2024 general elections with one accord.

    The Nkrumahist political parties are parties that believe in the ideologies and principles of Ghana’s first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

    He charged that the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is not a reliable alternative as he decried how abysmally the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has managed the affairs of the country under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    He asserted that the NPP/NDC will not take Ghanaians anywhere, adding that it is only the Nkrumahist party that has the track record of driving the country’s industrialisation agenda as evidenced in the First Republic.

     

  • ‘I have never sponsored any candidate against you’ – Gabby tells Majority Leader

    Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has denied ever sponsoring a candidate within the governing New Patriotic Party to unseat the Majority Leader as a lawmaker for the Suame Constituency.

    According to the NPP stalwart, he considers Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu a strong loyalist in the party and will never do such a thing to him.

    The Suame MP, in an interview on Kumasi-based Sompa FM, accused the co-founder of the Danquah Institute of unsuccessfully sponsoring a candidate against him in the party’s parliamentary primaries leading to the 2016 elections.

    “He wrote something for someone to go on his radio station [Asaase radio] and say that if I contest Suame seat again I will lose and that is why he is saying he won’t contest again. Gabby Otchere-Darko, have you contested an election before?” the Majority Leader asked.

    “In 2016, these same people were hiding behind a candidate saying that if he wins the Suame primaries, he will lose the general election; then they sponsored a candidate against me and it didn’t work for them. I had the confidence of the President who, two days before the primaries said ‘no I want to come and speak to your [Suame] people’ but I told him to stop [because] I am in control of affairs…

    “The President was very worried and he wanted to fly in the night to Suame but I had to tell him not to bother himself and God willing after the primaries those that Gabby Otchere-Darko and his people sponsored lost massively; their votes were not closer to what I had. I don’t know what Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko holds against me…,” Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated.

    But Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko in a reply said on his Facebook timeline, November 15, “I have never sponsored any candidate against the Majority Leader for the Suame seat.

    “I would never do such a thing to a person I considered a strong loyalist even within the NPP.”

    Who does Gabby Otchere Darko think he is? What is his locus? – Kyei Mensah-Bonsu fumes.

    Source: Ghanaweb.com 

  • Who does Gabby Otchere-Darko think he is? – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu fumes

    The Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has expressed anger over some allegations levelled against him by a stalwart of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko.

    According to the Member of Parliament for Suame, Mr Otchere-Darko has wrongly accused him of being the mastermind behind some NPP MPs demanding the sacking of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    “From nowhere, we hear Gabby Otchere-Darko on his Asaase Radio accusing me of instigating what was happening, for what? What do I stand to gain from that?” he retorted.

    Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Sompa Radio, the majority leader questioned the authority of the cousin of the finance minister for leveling such allegations against him.

    “There are people who would rather want to cause disintegration while you are committed to integrating. But now this has brought about another sense of anger. That Gabby Otchere-Darko, who does he think he is? I serve Akufo-Addo, and I serve the party as well as the government… when we talk about the government itself, what is your locus standi to be accusing me of being an instigator?” the majority leader questioned.

    The majority leader noted that it rather took his intervention to instill calm when a group of MPs in the NPP made public demands for the dismissal of the finance minister.

    “With the way the thing started, if I had not been hinted at by a colleague to intervene, we would have been in a bad place. Today is November 15, and we were supposed to present the budget today, but we had to postpone to 24th because I realised we may not be prepared after studying the situation. I sat with the finance minister and agreed with him to postpone it. After doing this and you turn to accuse me of being an instigator, what if I decide to watch and let everything fall apart?” he stated.

    Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who also doubles as the Minister for Parliamentary Business, further accused Gabby of sponsoring a contestant against him in the 2016 primaries of the NPP, noting that he failed in his agenda.

    “You (Gabby) are the same person who wrote something for someone to publish on his radio station that I will lose if I contest for re-election, hence my saying that I will not contest again. Gabby Otchere-Darko, have you contested an election before? They are the same people who sponsored people to contest against me in 2016, it didn’t work for them.”

    According to the majority leader, Gabby Otchere-Darko accused him of instigating calls for the finance minister’s sacking just so the leader of government business in parliament can be considered as a replacement for the under fire Ken Ofori-Atta.

    There have been public calls for the sacking of Ken Ofori-Atta, with his critics citing him as responsible for Ghana’s current economic challenges.

    In a recent press conference, NPP members in parliament demanded the minister’s dismissal, claiming that doing so would help restore confidence in the Ghanaian economy.

    Their demand, however, is said to have been met by a request from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who asked that Ken Ofori-Atta be allowed to conclude Ghana’s ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

    The president further demanded that the minister be allowed to present the 2023 budget before the demand for his removal may be considered.

  • Advise your husband to resign – NDC’s Barbara Asamoah to Mrs Ofori-Atta

    Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, has urged the wife of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Prof Angela Ofori-Atta, to advise her husband to step down from his position.

    According to her, Prof Ofori-Atta should advise her husband to resign because everything shows that Ofori-Atta has lost control of Ghana’s economy, and he is now becoming an embarrassment.

    Lawyer Serwaa Asamoah added that Ofori-Atta had made enough money that can take care of his generation yet to be born and so he should not be worried about losing his job.

    “… he (Ofori-Atta) can’t do the job; none of his actions shows that he can do the job, so why is the president keeping him at post. So, should Ghana collapse because of one person?

    “For the past six years, the money you have made can take care of your children, your great-grandchildren and your great, great-grandchildren. So, why all this fuss? What does he (the finance minister) want in addition?

    “… he is disgracing his wife and his children. The woman who is the wife of Ofori-Atta is being disgraced too much. You (the Ofori-Atta family) must speak to him so that he will accept that he has to resign,” she said in Twi in an XYZ TV interview monitored by GhanaWeb.

    Meanwhile, the over 80 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament who demanded that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo relieve Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta have reiterated their decision.

    According to the MPs, they are not in agreement with President Akufo-Addo’s request for Ofori-Atta to read and see the 2023 budget through appropriation.

    The MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriyie, who spoke on behalf of the over 80 MPs in Parliament on Thursday (November 10), said that they have decided that Ofori-Atta should not be the one to read the budget or lead the subsequent process.

    “Over the days, we have heard the finance minister speaking, and his speaking has influenced majority of us in the caucus, not only to state that we are back to the original position that we took, and that position is that the minister of finance must not be the one to read the budget, and must not be the one that would do the appropriation.

    “We are here to tell you this morning that our position will be very soon for you to see, and we will be positively defiant about that posture until action is taken,” he said.

  • Those suggesting I contest NPP presidential primaries are leading me into temptation – Majority Leader

    Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader of Parliament, has stated that those who advocate for him to be the next presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are leading him into temptation.

    He claimed that, while these people have good intentions, such a suggestion will only lead him into temptation.

    He was responding to a suggestion made by some Ghanaians who claim to be Suame members in the United Kingdom for him (Kyei-Mensah) to run in the presidential primaries.

    However, the lawmaker told Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm Frontline host Kwabena Agyapong that such a suggestion is a temptation.

    The lawmaker stated, “Those who make the suggestion is leading me astray…

    “What I will suggest is that we need someone who can resonate and win the NPP victory. There is only one presidential slot available, and we need a candidate who can connect with the people “.

    In response to a question about whether he would accept the position of running mate, he stated, “We’re not there yet.” We’ll cross the bridge when we get there.

  • Brogya Genfi challenges legitimacy of Habib Iddrisu to serve as MP

    The Ashanti Regional Deputy Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Brogya Genfi, has filed a suit against the sitting Member of Parliament for Tolon Constituency, Habib Iddrisu questioning the legitimacy of the legislator.

    In a writ filed at the Supreme Court on Monday, November 7, 2022, Brogya Genfi argued that the legislator, who is a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is constitutionally unfit to run for and be a lawmaker for any constituency in Ghana because he was allegedly convicted of fraud in Australia before 2020 elections.

    According to Mr Genfi, a convict, per Article 94(2)(c)(i) of the 1992 constitution is not permitted to hold state and public offices.

    The writ which seeks the Apex Court to invoke its original powers to interpret and enforce the constitution named the legislator, the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Attorney-General as defendants.

    Responding to the suit against him in an exclusive interview on Citi TV’s The Big Issue, Habib Iddrisu denied knowledge of the suit.

    According to him, he has heard of rumours concerning the suit but he is yet to be served.

    “I have also been hearing it on social media, that is all to it. I have not been served, so whatever I hear, I have to be served to know what it is about,” Iddrisu told host Selorm Adonoo.

    The Tolon MP also urged his constituents not to panic over reports of the suit against him, adding that he is innocent of all the allegations.

    “But you see, my constituents shouldn’t be worried…the allegations against me, I am innocent of it.”

    Source: Ghanaweb